


The Perks of Public Transport

by JannaEnd



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Boners, I Don't Even Know, M/M, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Public Transportation, Sarcasm, Stupidity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-19
Updated: 2015-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-21 12:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4829852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JannaEnd/pseuds/JannaEnd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi has his reasons to travel by the subway every day, but he still hates it. He thinks it can't be worse than it already is. But one day when he stands chest to chest with a "not-so-bad" stranger he learns that it definitely can.</p>
<p>"We approach another stop, the subway slows down, and I’m pressed tighter against the (handsome) unfamiliar person in front of me. I can practically feel his heart beating, which is pretty strange for me. It’s a bit annoying… but not too unpleasant… Holy shit, what the hell am I even think-<br/>Wait.<br/>Wait a fucking minute.<br/>Does he…<br/>Does he really…"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perks of Public Transport

**Author's Note:**

> How could I explain... It just came to my mind, and I thought it would be fun to write. It's just something light to cheer you up. Enjoy! :)

I have a car, driving licence, and I like driving, yet I still go to work by the subway every day. If I went by car I should wake up earlier than I do now, because of the terrible traffic and the almost non-existent parking places. And since I go running every morning and have a proper breakfast I wake up pretty early. I rather sleep 30 minutes longer. Apart from that, public transport is cheap. And I can say that I protect the environment. Hange said it’s like a therapy: I get used to people, fight back my disgust of filth and urge to clean. There’s nothing wrong with public transport. Other humans bear it too.

That’s my little mantra I always tell myself before getting on the train. Because the phrase ‘hate it with a burning passion’ doesn’t describe my feelings towards crowded places properly. The fact that I can’t sit down doesn’t even bother me, I’m going to sit for hours in the office, but the people, oh Lord, the people! They’re everywhere, including my personal sphere, and they’re filthy and noisy and all the things I hate. The best: I’m shorter than average. Yes it means others don’t notice me, and show a preference for pushing me around, but that’s something I’m used to. No, what I hate is that my nose is exactly at armpit-level. Can you imagine it in the middle of summer? Deathly. In short, the ride to work is nothing but twenty minutes straight suffering every day. And Erwin, my boss, has the guts to ask why I look so grumpy when I arrive.

But here I am, despite all the bad experiences, squeezing myself between strangers. Of course time slows down. There’s still 18 minutes until I can get off. I love my life. Everything is fine. I hope I won’t catch any weird disease. Fun fact: I don’t even have to hold on. 17 minutes. It’s not like I could reach the handhold anyway. Oh, a stop.

A few people get off, twice as many (try to) get on, we move a bit, and yes, I’m pressed against a stranger face to face. Well, face to collarbones if I want to be honest. Hey, at least he smells like someone who takes a shower on a daily basis and knows what cologne means. I can’t be thankful enough. The train starts moving again, it’s still 15 minutes until I arrive. The constant noise and the lack of air makes my head ache slightly. I hope it’s the beginning of a migraine, it would be just perfect, because I ran out of painkillers.

I feel that ticklish sensation of someone watching me and I look up by instinct. The young man who stands in front of me blushes and looks away. I observe him for a few seconds, because I’m 98% sure he did the same to me. His eyes seem to be some dark shade of green, he has messy, brown hair and a nice jawline. I guess he’s in his early twenties. Not bad. I drop my gaze, only to notice the perfect curve of his collarbones and the immaculate tanned skin covering them. Wow, stop Levi, it went further than it should have. As I know my luck he’ll soon get off, and I’ll stand next to some fat, sweating bastard. I continue spacing out and cursing the public transport in mind.

We approach another stop, the subway slows down, and I’m pressed tighter against the ~~handsome~~ unfamiliar person in front of me. I can practically feel his heart beating, which is pretty strange for me. It’s a bit annoying… but not too unpleasant… Holy shit, what the hell am I even think-

Wait a fucking minute.

Does he…

Does he really…

_Does he really have a boner in the middle of this damned crowd, while nothing but our clothes separate us?_

 People move around us to make place for others, but we don’t even stir. He’s frozen. I’m frozen. It’s not like I have second-hand embarrassment or feel sorry for the guy. Nah, I’m not that sympathetic. It’s just… something I can’t believe to happen. I mean, you’re surrounded by a huge mass of disgusting strangers, it’s not that arousing. Or is it?

As the train gets going again I pull a little away from him (so I don’t lean against him, but there’s still isn’t enough place for a speck of dust between us). Maybe he’s an exhibitionist, I think. Maybe he thought of something smutty. Maybe he saw someone he’d like to have sex with, he saw someone… someone…

Don’t tell me it’s because of me.

I refuse.

Slowly I look up at the guy again. Not just his cheeks but his ears and neck are red too, his gaze unfocused, his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. I know he’s aware of my stare, it isn’t something you could ignore easily, and still he tries to avoid eye contact (of course). But giving up has never been one of my habits, nor has been making other’s life better, so I keep watching him. Finally his green eyes meet my grey ones. Okay, how could a human look like a scared puppy this much? I’m sure the only reason why he doesn’t blush harder than he already does is because it’s biologically impossible. He won’t faint, will he? His full lips part but not even a single sound leaves them. He closes his mouth and blinks nervously (wow, he has long eyelashes) breaking our little staring contest. I can practically feel his glance dancing over my features, lingering on my lips longer than it should. Then he looks back into my eyes. I show some mercy and look away.

Another stop, we’re pressed tighter to each other than we should again. He’s still hard.

I should feel disgusted. I want to feel disgusted. But I can’t. Because honestly, when was the last time someone this good-looking was interested in me? In another life? That’s why this little (okay, judging by the sensation not so little…) attraction shown by this stranger turns my mood a bit better. I don’t say I’m overly happy, nah, I’m far from it, but maybe this morning isn’t so terrible as usually. The crowd doesn’t bother me too much anymore, and I don’t mind the noise. And I realize that I’d like to get to know this person in front of me. He’s handsome, he must think I’m handsome, he’s just slightly younger than me (if I guess right), and he smells good. Yeah, it could be that he’s a psychopath, or boring as hell, but what if he’s actually just as crazy as me? I can never know.

But if I don’t do something he’ll get off and I’ll never see him again. Well, I won’t start a conversation in this packed train, in this awkward situation, that’s for sure. Maybe we go to the same stop… Nah, there’s only a slight possibility. I could get off where he does… and then be late for work, amazing idea Levi. Shit, all I need is his number, and I can solve all of my problems. But it’s not like it would just appear on a piece of paper in my pocket…

In my pocket where I keep my business cards!

I’d like to punch myself in the face. Hard. No, please don’t even look at me.

Okay. Let’s see what happens, if _my_ number appears in _his_ pocket…

 

* * *

It’s around half past seven when I finish my dinner and put my plate and cup in the dishwasher. Another long day passed. The couch and the TV are too tempting to resist, so I grab the remote control and sit down. But before I could turn on the TV my phone begin to ring. It’s an unknown number. I sigh and answer it.

“Levi Ackerman.”

“Uh, good evening” a deep but youngish voice says a bit nervously. “I’m Eren Jaeger.”

The name doesn’t ring any bells, so I just wait for him to continue.

“So I’ve found your business card in my pocket, but…” The corners of my lips twitch up. Oh, so it’s _him_. “But I don’t remember…” I hear someone talking in the background, and Eren’s voice fades. “Shut up Kirschtein, I’m talking on the phone! … Uh, sorry… So, I don’t remember where and why did I meet you, or… what business I had with the… Smith Company.”

I could listen to his voice for hours, he’s just adorable.

No wait.

Forget this.

“Ah, yes. We travelled together on the subway this morning” I inform him.

“Uh… you see sir, I don’t really know… There were a lot of people…”

I can’t fight back a chuckle. “I’m pretty sure you remember me.”

“Well, if you could… describe yourself?”

“I’m short, have black hair, grey eyes and pale skin… and we stood chest to chest for at least 15 minutes.”

“Oh” that’s all I hear before everything goes silent. Not even the sound of breathing comes, which terrifies me, but I wait as patiently as I can. Then…

“What the hell Jaeger, you look like your head is about to explode! You didn’t blushed this hard when I came home while you and Reiner-”

“Fuck off Kirschtein!” Eren yells, and I have to yank the phone away from my ear. Tell the press I found someone louder than Hange.

Muffled sounds of laughter, some cursing, a door is slammed shut.

“Everything’s alright?” I dare to ask.

“Uh, yeah, it’s just my flatmate being an idiot” he lets out an awkward little chuckle which makes my heart melt. Today is a weird day. “Er… I… well… as for the morning… I… I’m sorry? For the… I don’t even know. Let’s say I’m sorry for everything. It surely was embarrassing as hell for you too” Eren’s voice turns desperate as he goes on.

“I don’t say it wasn’t uncomfortable” I admit. “But you know I didn’t give you my number just to hear your apologies. No, I wanted to ask if you’d like to drink a coffee or something with me sometime.”

Seconds pass.

“Really?” he sounds soooooo relieved. “I mean... Yes, sure.”

“Great” I let out a breath I didn’t realize I held back. “Do you know _The Green Cape_ on Maria square?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been there, but heard it’s nice.”

“It is. 10:30 am on Saturday?”

“I usually wake up around that time” he laughs. “Oh well, I can make an exception for once.”

“If it isn’t good for you-” I begin, but he interrupts.

“No, it’s perfect.” I love the way he says ‘perfect’. I shouldn’t. “10:30 on Saturday, at _The Green Cape_. I’ll be there.”

“Me too.”

“Then see you later, Mr. Ackerman.”

“It’s Levi.”

“As you wish” he says with… a little mischief? “Good night _Levi_.”

“Good night Eren” I manage to reply while fighting back a shudder. Saying my name like this should be illegal. I hope he says only my name like this though.

Where the hell do all these stupid thoughts come from, eh?

I put my phone away and lie down on the couch with a weird, warm feeling in my chest.

 

* * *

“…and he said it’s at least a week, until they can repair it” Hange sighs on the other end of the line. “Now I can go by bus every day.”

“Oh come on” I roll my eyes. “Public transport has its perks. You don’t have to park, you save money, protect the environment… and you may find yourself a boyfriend” I add as I smile at Eren.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Don't hesitate to tell me your opinion. :)  
> Also, if you notice any mistakes, let me know and I'll fix it.


End file.
